ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. lean — to bend
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. press — a publisher
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. current — of water
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cold — an illness
  10. press — newspapers
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. board — to get on
  14. lean — thin
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. net — for catching
  18. press — to push
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. current — electric
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com